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Latin America & the Caribbean

Public Health in Belize

Role: Focusing on a variety of areas, including community outreaches and public health campaigns

Accommodation: Host families

Price: From

What’s included? Food, accommodation, transfers to and from our specified airport, transport to and from work where required, insurance, personal webpage, induction and orientation, 24/7 support

What’s not included? Flights, visa costs, spending money

Length of placement: From 2 weeks

Start dates: Flexible

A Public Health internship with Projects Abroad in Belize is a great way to gain practical experience in the field of healthcare while giving back to communities in need. Based in San Pedro, this Public Health volunteer project focuses on a variety of areas, including community outreaches and public health campaigns.

Whether you are a student looking to gain experience in public health or already work in the field, you can contribute by helping local children and adults who would otherwise struggle to access treatment. This internship is also ideal for students looking to enhance their CV for medical school.

Interning Abroad in Public Health in Belize

You will work alongside qualified medical professionals, who will be on hand to train you wherever possible and to answer any questions you may have. We encourage you to ask questions and take notes so that you can learn as much as possible in your time abroad.

Your main focus will be on promoting healthy living and nutrition. Volunteers will also take part in free mobile health clinics in the park to provide health checkups, including blood pressure, blood sugar, and BMI.

Other activities include:

Developing and leading support groups on hypertension, diabetes, and breast feeding.

Planning and executing health fairs together with the Ministry of Health and other health-related non-governmental groups.

Supporting a Boy’s Group that tackles issues of respect, bullying, and other topics related to adolescent boys

Supporting a Girls’ Club that tackle self-esteem issues, bullying, and other topics related to adolescent girls

Working alongside nurses in schools on topics including drugs and alcohol, dentistry, Zika, and the flu

Volunteers usually work from 8am to 5pm from Monday to Friday and have the weekends free to relax or travel, unless there is medical outreach work scheduled on Saturdays or Sundays.

During your time in Belize, you will live with a local host family, who will welcome you into their home and introduce you to the culture. You will also be able to explore your surroundings with other Projects Abroad interns and volunteers. Projects Abroad staff also organise regular social events that you can join in with if you wish.

Community outreach work

For those who are interested, there are also other general project activities you can get involved in, which are open to all our volunteers based in San Pedro. These include:

Walking the animals at the SAGA Humane Society and providing them with care and attention

Re-usable bag and straw campaign to reduce the amount of plastic used on the island

Some of the media Projects Abroad has featured in: The Times, The Guardian, EL DIARIO, San Francisco Chronicle, Newsweek, Ok! Magazine, The New York Times, The Vancouver Sun, ELLE, BBC, CNBC, Travel and Leisure, BusinessWeek, The Irish Times